Initiated sex with an 18-year-old student at Auckland University in 2004, months after her mother had died of cancer. She claims the teacher - renowned Baroque and classical music specialist James Tibbles - largely ignored her at first, turning up to "about half" her lessons. She says several weeks later, still crippled by grief, she went to see James Tibbles to ask if she should resume her studies. Dr McPhail, now a senior lecturer in music education at Auckland University, told O'Brien "I would do it differently now." He resigned, effective immediately., and Thomas was told university policies meant the investigation could not continue.

Source: Stuff April 17, 2021 17:00 UTC